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New York Summit Hones in on Green Ingredients and Consumer Behavior

By: Organic Monitor

Posted: April 2, 2013

How can the environmental impact of cosmetic and personal care products be reduced by using green ingredients and changing consumer behavior? This is the main premise of the North American edition of Organic Monitor's Sustainable Cosmetics Summit, taking place in New York City May 16–18, 2013, at the InterContinental New York Barclay hotel.

A number of life-cycle analysis studies show the highest environmental impact of cosmetic products is from raw materials, consumers (consumption phase) and post-use (disposal). With most cosmetic and ingredient firms focusing on raw materials and production processes, the consumption phase is often ignored. For the first time, the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit will discuss methods of encouraging responsible consumption of cosmetic and personal care products. A major question to be addressed is: how can consumers be motivated to encourage the responsible purchase, use and disposal of cosmetic products to minimize environmental impacts?

Green Ingredients

Green ingredients in cosmetic formulations are another focus. The move toward green formulations is gaining momentum because of high consumer demand for natural and organic cosmetics, as well as diminishing supply of petrochemical feedstock. A number of speakers will discuss the growing use of plant and marine raw materials. Mibelle Biochemistry and IRB (Croda) will look at the use of stem cell technology to cultivate cosmetic ingredients from plant sources. Another paper by Heliae will explore the potential of marine algae as a sustainable source of cosmetic ingredients. With a growing number of food ingredients crossing over into cosmetic applications, Horst Rechelbacher (founder of Aveda and Intelligent Nutrients) will state the difficulties in formulating with organic food ingredients.

The Social Dimension of Cosmetic Products

Discussions will also cover the social dimension of cosmetic products. Most cosmetic and raw material suppliers are preoccupied with environmental impacts when considering sustainability. How can cosmetic and ingredient firms make a social difference with their products? Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps will state how its fair trade sourcing projects have improved the lives of marginalized producers in Palestine and Sri Lanka. A large cosmetics company will demonstrate how social value can be created by CSR initiatives, human resources procedures, and customer-supplier relationships. In another presentation, Johnson & Johnson will highlight the challenges when juggling a diverse range of environmental and social issues in sustainability programs.

Michelle Thew, CEO of Cruelty Free International, will discuss alternatives to animal testing methods. Considering the European ban on animal-tested cosmetic products, many companies are adopting alternative testing methods. And with a growing number of countries aiming to ban products that utilize animal-tested products, she will outline the options available to cosmetic brands present in various continents.

An interactive workshop on green formulations will cap the 3-day program. Judi Beerling of Organic Monitor will tackle the technical issues associated with using green ingredients. Although the palette of green raw materials has expanded considerably in recent years, technical issues remain. A review will be undertaken of the green alternatives to synthetic preservatives, emulsifiers, surfactants, emollients, etc. Practical advice will be given to formulators and product developers on how to use these green ingredients in formulations.

About Organic Monitor

Organic Monitor is a London-based specialist research, consulting and training company that focuses on the global organic and related product industries. Since 2001, we have been providing a range of business services to operators in high-growth ethical & sustainable industries. Our services include market research publications, business & technical consulting, seminars & workshops, and sustainability summits.

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